Floor construction



Jan. 23, 1934. E. MAHLER ET AL FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Original iled June 12, 1930 w 1 v a m j z w 3 E 4\ m 5 Z M W J fir W W 6 0 v z 4 W y: T J no W Patented Jan. 23, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLOOR CONSTRUCTION Eugene Mahler and Erwin Rossbach, Columbus, Ohio 7 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in reinforced concrete construction, and the invention has for a primary object to provide a strong, light weight, fireproof, load sustaining floor, roof,

ceiling and wall construction, capable of being economically and conveniently produced and erected.

The usual type of concrete floor construction is produced by means of an underlying frame 10 work of a removable character which effects the support of relatively spaced, parallel sheet metal pans or forms which are substantially of inverted U-shaped formation. When these pans or forms are mounted in their proper positions on the underlying frame work, the concrete material forming the floor is then poured to produce a monolithic structure wherein is embodied longitudinally extending beams or joists united by integral arches or spans in a homogenous structure and wherein the upper surface thereof is substantially level or disposed in a horizontal plane to produce a floor surface. In certain types of building construction where a flat finished ceiling is desired, plaster-receiving members are suspended in a horizontal plane from the concrete flooring, and the plaster is subsequently applied to these members and the finished ceiling construction is obtained.

This ordinary method of producing concrete flooring is slow and expensive to produce, requires a great number of the sheet metal pans or forms and necessitates delays in the erection of a multi-floor building while the freshly poured concrete is hardening or setting. A particular objection, however, to this standard construction, in addition to the matter of high costs, is the necessity of using expanded metal as a plaster base for the ceiling. It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to produce a floor, roof and the like of a strong, fireproof character by placing between concrete beams or joists a plurality of novel and peculiarly designed tiles, which are of such construction as to span the distance between adjoining concrete joists or beams to serve in the capacity of fillers and to permit of the employment of but a single tile between adjoining joists or girders. We are aware of the fact that it is old to employ tiles as fillers in concrete floors, but usually in such prior constructions a short span tile or a plurality of tile blocks or units are nested between adjoining joists or beams and are so constructed or arranged that they do not possess the necessary mechanical strength to enable them to receive of themselves the stresses and loads imparted to the floor during erection but only serve to reduce somewhat the total weight of the ordinary type of concrete floor construction. It is a particular object, therefore, of the present invention to construct the tile blocks in order that they may function in a floor as load sustaining members and wherein the tile blocks or units are of such extended form that a single block or unit will span the full distance between adjoining joists or beams to render the floor construction simple and economical to produce, of exceptional lightness in weight and fully capable of sustaining the loads imparted thereto both during and after erection, at the same time providing a solid masonry plaster base for the ceiling.

The tile blocks or units employed by the present invention, to fulfill the requirements above set forth, are provided with internal trusses, arches and other suitable reinforcing struts, braces or members which form an integral part of the tile and which are so arranged as to permit the tile, when used in a floor to receive with safety the loads and stresses thereto imparted.

It is an object of the invention to form the tiles to include interfitting yet removable ceiling forming plates, which are constructed to be supported by and locked in connection with the main floor forming tiles and the concrete beams situated between said tiles, and it is a further object of the invention to provide adjustable looking means for drawing the ceiling plates into their desired horizontal plane of assembly.

For a further understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view taken through our improved floor construction and illustrating an arch type of tile unit together with a detachable ceiling plate,

Figure 2 is a similar view disclosing an arched ribbed type of tile unit with detachable ceiling plates, 7

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view illustrating the adjustable attaching means for fastening the adjoining ends of ceiling plates to the metallic reinforcing members provided in the concrete beams,

Figure 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 2,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view taken on the plane disclosed by the line 55 of Figure 3, and

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view disclosing the connecting clips between adjoining block units. 110

Figure 7 is a detail perspective view of one end of the ceiling plate; and

Figure 8 is a similar view of the opposite end.

In Figure 1 there has been set forth an arched type of tile unit which is indicated at 25. This unit includes an elevated top plate 26 which lies flush with the upper floor surface. The side and top walls of the unit 25 are braced by means of the arch shaped web members or struts 27, and the said units are relatively spaced to produce therebetween the substantially T-shaped beams 28. An outstanding feature of this construction resides in the provision of the separable ceiling plates 29. These ceiling plates are also preferably formed from tile material, as aforesaid, and are formed to include heavy or thick marginal portions 30 and relatively thin body portions 31. The upper surfaces of the marginal portions 30 are grooved as at 32 for the reception of correspondingly formed ribs 33 depending from the unit 25. One end of each tile plate terminates in a short lug 34 while the opposite end thereof is provided With a longer lug 35. The long lug corresponds substantially in width to the width of the lower part of the beam 28, while the short lug is provided with a lip or shoulder 36 which overlies and inter-engages with the end of the adjoining long lug. Each of the beams 28 has embedded in the lower portion thereof a pair of reinforcing bars 37, and the long lugs 35 of each ceiling plate are provided with one or more upstanding wire loops 38 which pass between the bars 37. A wedge key 39 is driven into each loop and into locking contact with the bars 37 to effect the support of the ceiling plates. Thus the ceiling plates are connected at but one end with the beams, the long lugs only carrying the fastening means, and the shorter lugs receiving their support by engagement with said long lugs. Connecting clips 39a are used to :unite the ceiling plates against relative separation during erection, as shown in Figure 6.

In Figure 2 the tile block unit 40 possesses substantially the same cross-sectional formation as the unit 25 with the exception that instead of employing the arch struts or ribs the block unit 40 utilizes as a reinforcement an integral arcuate rib 41 which is ordinarily formed so as to be devoid of openings. In Figure 2 the concrete beams 42 formed between the adjacent blocks are produced around standard fabricated metallic beams or frames 43, commercially known as truss or bar joists which serve as supporting members during erection and as reinforcements for tension, compression and shear in the finished joists. The ceiling plates 29 are suspended from these joists prior to the positioning of the blocked) on the ceiling plates. After the placing of the block units on the ceiling plates, concrete beams are then poured in such a manner as to encase the bar joists. The latter elements may be provided, prior to the time of-the pouring of the beams, with spaced brace clips 44 which are so positioned as to engage with the vertical side walls of the block units 40. These brace clips keep the upper chord members of the bar joists in proper p0sition and prevent lateral deflection thereof, thus precluding failure by buckling during the construction period.

The detachable ceiling plates 29 are quite useful in certain capacities in that they admit of the free placing of electrical and fluid conduits in the floor construction as the latter is being built. The ceiling plates may be reinforced by means of wires 45 around their marginal portions, and the loops 38 comprise wire members which are preferably moulded in the ceiling plates while the latter are being manufactured. Different sized wedge keys 39 may be used in adapting the construction to bars 37 of varying diameter. The Wedge keys are preferably driven tightly into place before the tile block units are applied to the ceiling plates, and also serve as a means for adjusting vertically the ceiling plates when used in conjunction with the bar joist construction to produce a substantially level ceiling surface.

In view of the foregoing it will be seen that the present invention provides a reinforced concrete floor or other similar construction characterized: first, by its lightness of weight and its ability to withstand heavy super-imposed loads. Additionally, the construction provides for economy in the production of reinforced concrete construction and permits the work to proceed rapidly with but a minimum of delay and without involving the use of expensive removable pouring forms. Our improved construction provides for a saving in form lumber due to the fact that the contact area of forms is reduced to a minimum by being located below the joists only, thus, also, reducing the labor costs of erecting, stripping, or removing the forms and, again, a second economy resides in the saving of steel used in the reinforcement both as regards weight and number of parts for equivalent areas. When bar joists are used, as indicated in Figure 2, it is not necessary, in our improved construction, to use the supporting frames, such as are indicated at 46 in Figure 3. The tile block units have been specified as being formed from light weight concrete. However, we reserve the right to employ any material in the construction of these units which will be both light in weight yet strong, fire resisting and capable of being economically produced.

What is claimed is: g

1. In a reinforced concrete construction, a pair of spaced parallel concrete beams, metallic reinforcements for each of said beams arranged longitudinally therein, hollow tile members supported between said beams, each of said members being of sufficient length to span the distance between said beams, a plurality of ceiling plates, and fastening means carried by said ceiling plates and connectable with the metallic reinforcements of said beams to retain said ceiling plates in an applied position in connection with the beams.

2. In a reinforced concrete construction, a pair of spaced parallel concrete beams, metallic reinforcements for each of said beams arranged longitudinally therein, hollow tile members supported between said beams, each of said'members being of sufiicient length to span the distance between said beams, a plurality of ceiling plates, fastening means carried by said ceiling plates, and adjustable connecting means between the ceiling plates and the reinforcements of said beams to retain said ceiling plates in an applied position in connection with the beams.

3. In a reinforced concrete construction, a pair of spaced longitudinally extending concrete beams, bar joists embedded in and extending longitudinally of said beams, a plurality of ceiling plates disposed in a common horizontal plane and adjustably suspended from said bar joists, reinforced concrete filler blocks arranged and spanning the entire distance between said beams, and brace clips connected with said joists and positioned between adjoining filler blocks to prevent deflection of the upper chord members of said bar joists.

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4. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling plate for reinforced concrete constructions comprising a thin flat concrete body provided with up-turned reinforcing flanges around the marginal edges thereof, wire reinforcements embedded in said edges, and long and short longitudinally extending lugs projecting from the opposite ends of said plates.

5. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling plate for reinforced concrete constructions comprising a thin flat concrete body provided with up-turned reinforcing flanges around the marginal edges thereof, wire reinforcements embedded in said edges, long and short longitudinally extending lugs projecting from the opposite ends of said plates, and wire attaching members carried by the longer of said lugs.

6. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling plate for reinforced concrete construction comprising a thin flat concrete body provided with up-turned reinforcing flanges extending from the upper surface thereof, metallic reinforcements embedded in said plate, and long and short longitudinally extending lugs projecting from the opposite ends of said plate, one of said lugs overlapping the lug of the adjacent plate, and serving to support the end of said plate when in an assembled relationship.

7. As a new article of manufacture, a ceiling plate for reinforced concrete constructions comprising a thin flat concrete body provided with reinforcing flanges on its upper surface, long and short longitudinally extending lugs projecting from the opposite ends of said plate, the shorter of said lugs being provided with a recess at its outer edge for the reception of the longer lug of the next adjacent plate, and attaching means carried by the longer of said lugs whereby by the provision of said recess the end of the next adjacent plate will be supported.

EUGENE MAHLER. ERWIN ROSSBACH. 

